Rhine lives in a bleak world infected with a nightmare of a virus, which dictates the time everyone will die: guys at 25 years old, ladies at 20. Some of the first generation, those not infected and inching into their 70s, still struggle to find a cure, while everyone else just struggles to survive.

Rhine, now 17, doesn’t have much time left on her lifespan, and she refused to spend it locked in her father-in-law’s mansion. Sure, she lived in luxury with fancy clothes and an abundance of food, and Linden, the husband forced upon her, is kind, if somewhat clueless, and had even become a sort of friend. However, Vaughn, her evil father-in-law, is a dangerous monster intent on conducting painful medical experiments in search of a cure for his son. Rhine longed for her freedom and needed to find her way back to her twin brother, the only family she has left. So she and her true love, Gabriel, a servant in Vaughn’s mansion, somehow managed to escape.

"DeStefano manages to conjure up this depressing civilization, yet her main characters still retain the important things in life.... The story line pulls readers through some unexpected twists and turns, ending on a cliffhanger to tease and entice fans for book three."

However, within moments of leaving the boat and stepping on the beach, their sweet freedom is once again snatched away from them. Rhine and Gabriel are taken prisoner into a dank brothel run by a warped and bitter first-generation woman who goes by the name of Madame. She has a group of stolen girls she sells for sex and a small army of young men armed with guns that patrol the fenced-in area that used to be an amusement park. Madame also uses a powerful drug called Angel’s Blood to keep her prisoners subdued and addicted.

One of Madame’s top girls is named Lilac; despite her hardships, she still has some kindness left to share. She has a clever young daughter named Maddie, who, despite her physical malformations and her inability to speak, maintains a bright spark within her heart. Rhine strives to play Madame’s games, just waiting and searching for the right opportunity to escape her new prison. Then it finally arrives.

In a huge blowout, Rhine and Gabriel manage to slip away, but they are not alone. Now they have the young Maddie with them, another soul to keep alive. Plus, Gabriel is addicted to the powerful Angel’s Blood and fighting withdrawal as they begin the long and dangerous journey to Manhattan to find Rhine’s brother. Unfortunately, once they arrive, Rhine falls desperately ill. The symptoms are similar to the virus that will take her life at age 20, but it is three years too early for her to succumb to that. Unable to keep any food down and with a high fever burning her body, Rhine fights to stay alive. Meanwhile, Vaughn struggles to locate his missing link. He refuses to let go of Rhine, believing she is the answer to his medical conundrums, and is hunting her down, getting closer every moment. If and when he does catch her, it may mean a certain and painful death filled with horrific medical experiments.

In this sequel to WITHER, Lauren DeStefano takes readers back to the bleak and turbulent world of Rhine and Gabriel, where old age has no meaning anymore, at least for anyone but the first generation; where freedom is bliss, and where freedom plus true love are the ultimate treasures. It’s a dark and dreary place, filled with sadness and hopelessness. DeStefano manages to conjure up this depressing civilization, yet her main characters still retain the important things in life. She delves deep into Rhine’s emotions, vividly expressive and intensely stirring. Plus, she introduces a few new characters, some disturbing like the twisted Madame and others intriguing like the enigmatic Maddie. The story line pulls readers through some unexpected twists and turns, ending on a cliffhanger to tease and entice fans for book three.